ASIATIC COXIFEKS. 26T 



ASIATIC CONIFERS.* 



BY JOHN SAUL, WASniXGTON, D. C. 



Cryptomeria Japonica — The Japan Cedar. — What a beautiful tree is this! and 

 how useful in our climate, where I have no do-ubt it will be as much at home as in 

 the Provinces of xsTorthern China ; it is a very rapid, vigorous grower — I have known 

 a young plant in England grow four and a half feet in one summer, and this is not 

 unusual. In this country it is also exceedingly rapid in its growth. Plants of it, 

 which I had seen in Britain about twelve feet high and feathered to the ground, were 

 already a combination of grace and beauty. Too much cannot be said of this tree, 

 of which, indeed, as yet, we know but little. Hear Mr. Fortune on it : " Never in 

 my hfe had I seen such a view as this — so grand, so sublime. High ranges of moun- 

 tains were towering on my right and on my left, while before me, as far as the eye 

 could reach, the whole country seemed broken up into mountains and hilk of all 

 heights, with peaks of every form. While gazing with wonder and admiration on 

 the scene, my attention was arrested by a solitary pine tree of great size, standing 

 about a hundred yards from the gateway ; no other trees of any size Avere near it. 

 Its solitary position near the pass, and its great height and beautiful symmentry, made 

 it appear more striking. What could it be ? AVas it new, or did we already possess 

 it in England 1 I must confess that for a few seconds I had eyes for nothing else. 

 Chairs, coolies and mountains were all forgotton, and I believe had the guard of 

 celestials attempted to prevent me from going into Fokien, the only boon I should 

 have asked at their hands would have been to be allowed to go and inspect this noble 

 pine. The Chinese guard, however, had not the slightest intention of interfering with 

 my movements, and, as the tree was on the road side, I soon came up to it, and found 

 it to be the Japan Cedar {^Cryptomeria Japo7iica), a tree which I had already intro- 

 duced into England, and which, even in a young state, had been greatly admired 

 there. I had never before seen such a noble specimen, and although I would rather 

 it had been something new, I felt proud of having been the means of introducing into 

 Europe a tree of such size, symmetry, and beauty. It was at least one hundred and 

 twenty feet high — it might be much more — as straight as a larch, and had its lower 

 branches drooping to the ground. It had not been ' lopped,' like other Chinese trees, 

 and was evidently preserved with grea-t care. My Chinaman looked upon it with 

 gTeat admiration, and informed me it was the only specimen of the kind in this part 

 of the country, and that it had been planted by some former Emperor when he crossed 

 the mountains." The plants of this distributed by the Horticultural Society of Lon- 

 don about seven years ago, are now bearing abundance of seed in Europe — indeed, 

 many have done so for the past tliree or four years ; we may, therefore, expect it will 

 soon become plentiful, as it seeds in such a young state. There is a variety named 

 Lobbia;nu)n, which, in a young state, shows little dissimilaiity from the species 

 e of the Northern Province of China and Japan. 



* Continued from May number. 



